Composition Program

Grading Workshop

Monday, January 7, 2008

#10302, Department of English, Wayne State University

Evaluating and Grading 1020 Papers

Small Group Discussion Questions

Here is the grading chart presented by Ruth Ray at the Orientation this past Fall:

The Language of Grading*

Grade              A/A-                B+/B               B-/C+              C/C-                Below C-

Product           Strong             Competent      Acceptable      Weak               Unacceptable

Process            Keep it up!      Maturing         Developing      Emerging         Not yet

Assignment     Exceeds           Meets              Meets              Barely              Does not meet

                        rqmts.              rqmts. well      rqmts.              meets rqmts.    rqmts.

(Based on Donna Qualley, “Learning to Evaluate and Grade Student Writing: An Ongoing Conversation.” In Betty Patlik and Sarah Liggett, eds., Preparing College Teachers of Writing.  NY:  Oxford UP, 2002.  284-285.)

Please discuss some of the 1020 papers in response to these questions:

• given the ad analysis assignment and its early place in the class sequence, does this paper reflect writing that is “on target” for ENG 1020?

• should this paper receive a grade of A, B, C, D, or F?  what are the considerations involved?

• consider a “projection” of the student writer:  should this student receive a passing grade for the course (A – C-) or should s/he receive a non-passing grade (D – E) and repeat the course?  what are the considerations here?